


Daniel's Spaniels

by bathildabagshott



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dogs, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-05
Updated: 2018-01-12
Packaged: 2019-02-28 20:20:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13279143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bathildabagshott/pseuds/bathildabagshott
Summary: Dan owns a dog rescue. Phil volunteers to help.*ft. doggos, cute boys, and coffee*





	1. Penelope

**Author's Note:**

> I love Dan, Phil, and dogs A Lot. That's my only excuse for this.

 

* * *

 

Phil was on route to his weekly cafe run when a child bumped into him and bounced off his leg before immediately returning to his clumsy run. The sound of his wail pierced Phil’s ears, sounding alarmingly like a siren as it wavered in pitch in volume.

“Mum! The man was so mean,” he yelled. “All I wanted,” _hiccup_ , “was to pet the doggy.” _Hiccup_. “And maybe feed it some of my Skittles.” _Hiccup_ . “I don’t--” _sniffle_ ,”know why he yelled at me.”  

“Johnny, come on,” Phil heard the mother chastise in a clipped tone. “He was a mean man. Forget about him. We’ll get some ice cream on our way home, alright? Dogs are disgusting anyway.”

Phil’s eyebrows shot up in response to the whole affair. Not only did a crying, screaming child run into him _and_ he was never apologized to, there’s apparently a cruel man and his dog out there vandalizing children. Oh, and apparently there were people in existence that did not like dogs. So far his normally dull walk to the cafe had been a big learning experience.

As he turned the corner and waited to cross the street, Phil saw an array of colorful banners, posters, and balloons proudly announcing a “Dog Adopt-a-thon” hosted by the shelter in the area that Phil had passed before with a longing glance into the windows but had never entered. The arrows directing people to the event pointed in the opposite direction of the cafe.

Phil was curious but not curious enough to skip on his coffee. With only a moment’s hesitation that caused him to not notice the change of light in the crosswalk until the countdown started, Phil jumped into the street and jerked himself back into attentiveness.

When it was finally his turn to order by his usual barista, a stack of bright flyers on the counter caught his attention.

_TODAY! PLEASE JOIN US AT THE_

_SUMMER DOG ADOPT-A-THON_

_AT THE PARK ACROSS FROM THE BANK_

_DOGS OF ALL AGES, SIZES, BREEDS_

_COME HELP A DOG IN NEED OF LOVE AND A HOME_

At the bottom it read in smaller print: “hosted by Daniel Howell of _Daniel’s Spaniels_ and the local RSPCA (NOTE: MORE THAN SPANIELS ARE PRESENT ALTHOUGH SPANIELS ARE JUST AS DESERVING OF LOVE AS ANY OTHER DOG).”

“You should stop by, it’s a great event!” The barista announced, noticing what had caught Phil’s eye. “I’m counting down until my shift’s over so I can stop by.”

“Oh, yeah, maybe I will. Thanks,” he smiled as she handed him his change and he moved down the counter.

He looked at the time as he waited for his drink and quickly made the decision to stop at the event. Why not when dogs are involved? As he waited, he started to entertain the idea of adopting one. Maybe a puppy or a big dog that he’d name Titus, then he’d learn how to hike and take him everywhere. In recent years, he’d fancied the idea of getting a dog but never gave it much proper thought. He figured it would happen when it was meant to. In the meantime, he counted on videos of puppies falling asleep in their water dishes to bring him happiness and was yet to be disappointed.

Phil’s name was called out and a warm drink slid into his hand. He happily left the shop to follow the arrows to the park.

\---

Phil could see a decent amount of people wandering around, more so than usual at this time of day, and as he got closer, he saw a big, white tent surrounded by those same signs and balloons. Inside was a scatter of playpens for the smaller dogs and large cages for the bigger ones. Without even stepping foot inside, Phil could already hear the cacophony of panting and barking. There were families milling about and children wiggling their fingers at each cage. Some dogs looked happy, some bored or asleep, and a few absolutely terrified. Phil walked up to the closest cage, a sleeping dog named Penelope, and bent down to look into her eyes.

Her card described her as a medium tan hound mix that was eight years old.

“Hello, Penelope, my name’s Phil.” She didn’t even raise her head, only lifted her eyebrows to give him one good glance before shutting them again. Phil stuck his fingers through the holes in the cage to gently touch her head. She didn’t move as he did so which he took as a neutral kind of acceptance of his presence. “You’re a pretty one.” Penelope was silent in what he assumed was agreement. He started to feel a soft affection for this dog for letting him pet her head when a sharp, “ _excuse me!_ ” cut through the air.

He jumped and yanked his fingers out of the cage. Even Penelope lifted her head at the exclamation.

“No, no, no. No. Child! Excuse me!” A tall man was running through the tent, expertly swerving around the cages with his arms outstretched and face blotched with red, at a child that was clumsily attempting to open one of the latches on the playpen door. The man reached the child and pulled their hand away, placing himself in front of the pen door.

“Where are your parents? You… need to… leave.” The man’s arms were outstretched and his hands looked ready to shoo the kid away in case of confrontation. However, a dad appeared to pick up the child at the perfect time.

“Your child is attempting to open my playpen. Please escort her out of the tent if you cannot keep an eye on her.” His voice was clipped. After a few words that Phil couldn’t hear, the dad walked out of the tent with his daughter firmly pressed against his side. The father glanced back at the man and shook his head a few times.

Phil watched as the man closed his eyes for a moment, letting out a big sigh. He turned back to check on the four dachshunds in the playpen and bent down to give them all a loving ruffle. “Pippin, Merry, Frodo, Sam. You’re good boys.” He pulled out a few small treats for them before standing and surveying the tent. To Phil he looked very much like he was standing watch, ready to spring at any other misbehaved civilians and suddenly, the man was staring right at him. He looked from Penelope’s cage to Phil. He quickly walked over, the expression on his face anything but friendly, suspicion clearly written on his face.

“Hello there, welcome to the event.” He outstretched a hand. “I’m Dan.”

“Oh, hi,” Phil quickly shook his hand. “ _Daniel’s Spaniels_?”

“Yes, that’s my rescue. Do you need any help? Hi there, Penny!”

Phil noted that as soon as Dan reached the cage, Penelope sat up, her tail whipping back and forth, causing a racket against the cage bars. Dan reached both hands in the cage and she eagerly kissed his hands.

“Uh, no, I’m just looking.” Phil tried his best to not feel like a dog just rejected him (and failed).

Without turning away from Penelope, Dan let out a monotone hum. Phil felt like he made a big mistake.

“But uh, Penelope, she’s great! She’s just been laying here. Very sweet. She let me pet her head,” Phil finished lamely.

Dan turned to face him. “Yes, she’s great. She’s one of our calmer residents. Easy going and quiet. She’s a good girl. Aren’t you, Penny?” She gave one hard wag and he tossed her a treat. It was obvious that Dan would rather talk to the dogs than Phil. For some reason Phil wanted to connect with this angry man that enjoyed yelling at children. Something in Phil’s ego wanted to prove to him that he wasn’t just another one of the dumb citizens, but someone on Dan’s level.

He was, however, unsure of how to do so without adopting one of these dogs, which was not going to happen as it would definitely top Phil’s impulsive decisions list. 

“So, how’s the event going?” Phil kept pushing the conversation, desperate for approval. 

Dan seemed to deflate slightly at the question, the harsh line of his shoulders softening, angling down, as he hunched in on himself. 

“It’s going alright. I’ve had a couple applications. Just a few minor inconveniences...” he gestured vaguely in the direction of the playpen.

“Do children often cause you trouble?” Phil asked, careful about his words. He still wasn’t sure if Dan was at fault or the child but while he was trying to gain his approval he decided to assume in his favor.

“No, not _all_ of them. Of course a lot of families with children want dogs and that’s fine. Sometimes the bond between dog and child is beautiful and extremely poignant for both.” Phil noted that Dan seemed to say this all in one breath. He needed to pay close attention to keep up. “And _maybe_ I’m, what you would say, ‘ _not a child person_ ,’” he added air quotations. “But I’ve learned that unattended children love to put my dogs in situations that could easily be avoided if they were just taught not to run or scream at them. Or if, you know, their parents actually parented them.”

While keeping an open mind and trying to understand his point, Phil started to wonder if this Dan was actually an asshole. He continued to give him the benefit of the doubt, however, at least while their conversation was still going on.

“I’m protective of my dogs.”

Obviously.

Dan absentmindedly stroked Penelope’s snout as the two fell into silence.

Eager to change the conversation, Phil continued: “So, you own the rescue? By yourself?”

“Yes, it’s my rescue. I have a few occasional volunteers, not so much any paid employees. It’s… hard work but well worth it.” 

“That’s great! I’ve never stopped by but maybe I will. To see if you need any help and visit Penelope.”

“Oh,” Dan said, questioningly. “Do you have much experience in rescue or dog care?”

Phil shifted his weight from foot to foot, flashing back to his plethora of bad interview experiences. “No, I mean, I’ve never worked in a rescue. But I like dogs? My aunt had one when I was growing up and I was always his favorite in the family.”

“Do you have a dog of your own?”

“...No.”

“Have you ever taken care of one? By yourself?”

“Well,” he trailed off. “Not really.” Phil suddenly started to feel like he was failing a test.

Dan hummed, eyebrow raised, and folded his arms.

“Actually!” Phil announced brightly, just remembering. “My friend just got a puppy. I spent a while trying to train her and I think we made loads of progress. I’m great with puppies!” If his last statement was a bit of an exaggeration, he felt justified in doing so.

Dan’s tight-lipped mouth and raised eyebrow did not move. If Phil thought he was going to prove a sense of credentials to Dan, he was mistaken. 

“We don’t get a lot of puppies at the rescue,” he spoke to Penelope. “Some but mostly one-year-olds and older. A lot of people like puppies but not the responsibility of adult dogs.”

“Oh, yeah, I know that, of course. It’s a shame.”

“If more people knew that,” Dan cut him off. “We wouldn’t have a good girl like Penelope without a home.”

Phil’s gut flooded with guilt for reasons he was unsure of. _Maybe_ he did come here just to look at dogs and _maybe_ he didn’t give much thought to dogs in need beyond a brief sense of sadness. How could he help? He’s just one person, after all. But it wasn’t fair for Dan to be so judgmental and to act like Phil was the root of the problem. Phil thought of himself as having above average intelligence and he could learn. He wanted to learn. And he didn’t want to be the reason Penelope felt unloved. His conscience urged him to prove himself, to show Dan, Penelope, and himself that he _cared_.

“Is the rescue open Saturday? I have that day off and can stop by.” Phil was acutely aware that he may be coming across too intensely, but he didn’t care.

Dan looked startled. “Yes, we’re open. But--”

“Good, I’ll see you then.” He turned on his heel and started walking out of the tent, before grinding to a stop as he looked back at the dog in the cage. She had her eyes on Phil expectantly. In a much sweeter tone, Phil said: “Bye, Penelope.” And with that, Phil marched off as gracefully as he could despite the lumpy grass.


	2. Buddy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil meets the doggos.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I've (sadly) never worked at a dog rescue before, I just follow a lot of them on social media. Also I am American. Apologies for any inaccuracies.

By Saturday morning, Phil felt embarrassed by how seriously he took the entire interaction with Dan. He ultimately blamed it on his tendency to attach himself to people and things wholeheartedly with little reason almost at immediate introduction. Jumping to conclusions and wanting people to like him often led him to awkward situations but this one might be one of his most impulsive.

A Google search of _Daniel’s Spaniels_ told him what time the rescue opened. Phil planned to arrive exactly 15 minutes after opening. He had tediously thought out exactly how he wanted to approach the situation -- eager but not _too_ eager. Assertive and determined but not rude. (Unlike Dan was sure to be.)

He reminded himself as he checked that his door was locked, that if it went absolutely horrible, all he has to do was help out for a day, prove that he wasn’t not an idiot and give the dogs some love and care, then never come back again.

When Phil reached the rescue, he felt jittery and had to resist the urge to wipe his palm on his jeans again. He opened the door to find no one at the front desk. The entrance was small, with only a few chairs to sit. Phil wandered down the hall and peeked his head around the corner. He could see a living space to the left and a small office to the right.

The closest room had a window looking into it, where Phil could see a group of dogs running around, the floor littered with toys. Dogs of varying sizes were zooming around, tongues lolling and butts wiggling from the force of their wags. They all were congregated around the large man-size lump on the floor.

Dan face was red, eyes crinkled, and cheeks dimpled as he wiggled on the floor, gleefully yelling at the loving attacks from each dog. His face was covered in saliva and his unwise pairing of black sweater and black jeans were layered in fur. His laugh was loud and bounced off the walls, encouraging the dogs on more. A dog had its nose buried in Dan’s curly hair, turning it into an entangled mess.

It took Phil aback to connect the standoffish, rude man at the event with this giggling giant.  

Phil walked up to the entrance of the room, unsure of what to do. He did not want to be caught sneaking around but he was slightly scared of Dan despite his current unthreatening demeanor.

However, a small, fluffy, white dog gave him away. The dog saw Phil through the glass door and announced his presence with a bark, and before he knew it, the group of dogs abandoned Dan in favor of the stranger holding the biggest box of the most expensive and healthiest dog treats a begrudging pet store worker could find for him.

Dan sat up, face flushing darker, this time in embarrassment, and futilely tried brushing the hair off his thighs. A hand shot up to fix his hair. The pure joy on his face was replaced by something neutral. And guarded.

He said a command to the dogs before opening the door and all of them immediately sat, their tails expectantly swaying behind them. He propped the door open and waved Phil in. However, as soon as he crossed the threshold, Dan was no where to be seen as Phil was bombarded with a herd of overexcited dogs, jumping at his shins and thighs.

Dan with his back was against the wall, observed the disaster in front of him, holding in a laugh. The large amount of dogs and the fervor of the welcome made Phil feel panicky. He tried to play it cool even when a drooling dog that was probably as big as him jumped up for the box in his hands. After a good minute passed and Dan still had yet to say anything to Phil, or to the dogs, Phil started to wonder if this was a test of some sorts.

“Uh, good dogs! Good. Alright! I have treats,” Phil tried his best at an assertive tone but could barely hear himself over the barks. “You all need to sit though, okay? Sit. Sit!” One dog to his left immediately fell into position and waited eagerly. The others either didn’t hear or refused to listen. “Come on, sit! Sit? Please.” A couple more plopped their rear-ends on the floor, but the more passionate ones carried on regardless.

The big dog reached the front of the group again and gave him one big slobbery kiss on his chin and knocked the box out of his hands. On reflex, Phil bent down to retrieve the box and before he knew what was happening, was on the floor alongside it, while dogs jumped on his back and kissed his face.

A clap sounded through the air. “Alright! Enough guys! Off!” Most of the dogs jumped backward. “Sit! Good…” Dan _finally_ walked up to Phil and offered a hand.

Dan didn't even try to look remorseful and Phil knew that he had just been hazed. He tried and failed at not being annoyed.

“They get a little overzealous sometimes,” Dan chirped, the corner of his mouth upturned.

Phil took his hand and stood. “It’s okay,” Phil said, even though he thought it really, _really_ wasn’t. “I brought treats.” He decided the best option was to ignore what had just happened. He pointed to the box that remained unopened on the floor, refusing to bend to pick it up. A small dog was attempting to covertly sniff it without moving from its seated position.

“I see. Those are good ones.” Dan picked up the box and placed it back in Phil’s hand. “We’ll save those for later.”

“So, uh, how can I help out today?”

The amusement had yet to wipe off of Dan’s face. “Well, I’ll get you started on the easy things. You know, cleaning, walking, grooming.”

“There was no one at the front desk,” Phil noted. “Are you the only one in?”

Dan rubbed the toe of his shoe against the floor. “Yes, it’s just me today. My volunteer couldn’t make it in.”

“Volunteer? Do you mean you only have one?”

Dan’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Phil. “I have one _regular_ volunteer but sometimes she has to stay at home with her kids. I have others that… stop by from time to time.”

"You mean you run this by yourself most days?"

"I get by just fine, alright?" Dan answered, voice clipped.

To be honest, Phil still didn’t know why he was here or why he was still putting up with Dan. What he thought this morning was still true. Dan was still acting like an asshole and yet it was becoming clear to Phil that _Daniel's Spaniels_  might need the help. And judging off of his kindness with the dogs, maybe Dan was nice somewhere underneath the surface. Phil wanted to see through the day before making any decisions.

“Okay then…” Dan felt unsure of how to proceed. “I guess I should introduce you.”

He took Phil to each dog introducing them by name, age, breed (if known), and how long they’d been at the rescue. Phil made sure to say his name to each one and give an affectionate pet or paw shake if they were willing.

By the end of it, Phil was trying his hardest to remember all their names, knowing there were still more to meet that preferred to stay in their kennels. (“They don’t like crowds,” Dan had explained.)

Together they led the dogs in small increments back into the kennels. Once finished, Phil met the rest of the pack. One was a senior dog that looked content to sleep. He greeted Penelope again and in response she gave him a brief wag before dozing off again. The other was a dog that Dan described as having a more “difficult past.” Phil approached this kennel carefully, unsure and quite honestly, slightly scared.

Inside was a black and white Staffordshire terrier with healed scars on its muzzle. Dan, without hesitation, walked in and knelt where the dog was curled in its bed. The dog’s tail hit the floor and its cropped ears lowered. The mouth that had scared Phil before opened in a wide smile, tongue lapping at the air, trying to reach Dan’s face. The dog rolled on its belly and kicked its feet in the air as Dan itched his underside.

“He was used as bait in a dog-fighting ring when he was young. He was rescued a few months after being there,” Dan said without looking at Phil. His assumption of the cause of Phil’s hesitation was correct and Phil felt slightly embarrassed for taking such a cautious approach. “He gets nervous sometimes in big crowds, especially if there’s a lot of dogs, but luckily, he doesn’t show much trauma other than that.”  

The dog snorted out of excitement and rolled back to its front. He stood up and walked slowly over to Phil. Phil reached a hand out, of which the dog carefully sniffed. He must have approved of Phil in some way as he nuzzled his scarred face into his open palm. Phil scratched his head carefully.

Dan watched. He wasn’t going to let someone into his rescue that was prejudiced against pit bull type dogs or careless with abused dogs. Phil’s gentle touch and soothing tone melted his hard shell, just ever so slightly.

\---

After greeting all the dogs, Dan gave Phil a brief tour of the building. It was average sized and simple. Dan explained that the house was left to him by a relative and used what money he had to begin renovating the first floor to better suit the needs of the rescue. The second floor space was Dan's private quarters and a dog gate was placed at the bottom of the stairs with a “KEEP OUT” sign taped on it, the words triply underlined.

When he ran out of money, he funded the rest by loans, Dan had explained simply.

“In August, it’ll be the rescue’s two year anniversary,” Dan announced proudly.

He showed Phil the outdoor kennels for warmer weather, where the food and medicines were located, and the small office that held the paperwork for each dog and the applications for adoption.

“It’s not too difficult, pretty straight forward. If you ever don’t know where something is or are unsure of what to do, just ask. Running a rescue is more than just playing with dogs, it’s a business. A lot of work. And volunteering isn’t a paid job… But I like to think that getting to spend time with these dogs, giving them a home, and showing them what it feels like to be safe and to be loved is enough.” Dan’s voice was soft, his eyes warm.

With a shrug, he continued: “People shouldn’t put so much social value in money anyways. Capitalism is bullshit and it’s the cause of our entire society and the world around us to fall to shit. Dogs would not be exploited or abused if we weren’t in this toxic, oppressive capitalist cycle.” Dan said matter-of-factly before walking back toward the dogs, leaving Phil flabbergasted in his wake. “Anyways, time to play with some doggos.”

\---

Dan helped Phil escort the dogs into the yard and observed as he acclimated to being the one human in charge of a pack of dogs. After a few minutes though, Dan deemed him ready to take position alone.

“I’ll be at the front desk. I have to call the local shelters and check on any emergency cases. Mail some bills. Check on applications. The business side of this. You enjoy doing the fun part. I’ll come back to check on you soon. If you need anything you can just pop your head in and call me over. Just make sure you don’t leave them alone for more than a few minutes. They’re secure back there and they all tend to get along, but it is your first day. I don’t want you slacking. Okay? Okay.”

Phil noticed that Dan liked to talk rapidly and assertively, and that a response was never necessary (nor wanted). Dan saluted Phil, shutting the door behind him, and disappeared in the house.

Dan was exhausting to deal with. It was not in his nature to be patient or gentle. But as the day passed, Phil started to regard his harsh personality less negatively and more admirably. His intensity came with a purpose, from a sense of passion and pride. Even after a few hours, Phil was starting to love these dogs as well and began to understand how that affection could easily turn into protectiveness.

For the most part, watching the dogs in the yard was more entertaining than hard work. The dogs pretty much did their own thing -- some laid down to enjoy the sun, disappeared in the outdoor kennels, or played with each other. Some hung by Phil, wanting his attention and demanding he threw a ball or two. It was only when dogs started rough housing that Phil would hover nervously, unsure if he should intervene or if that would be excessive parenting.

It seemed like the raucous welcome the dogs had given him was a fluke. None of them had jumped on him since, even the big dog that remained above averagely affectionate with him. He quickly learned his name was Oliver and it was rare for a minute to pass without Oliver by Phil’s side.

He assumed that the wild hello was Dan's fault. Dan was unsurprisingly an excellent dog trainer and his relationship with them seemed defined by a mutual sense of respect. The dogs were still learning who Phil was and if they could trust him, but the general consensus seemed positive so far. Phil knew he had won Oliver over at least. And Penelope did not  _dislike_ him.

Phil was watching the dogs play from the patio when a yelp sounded in the air. Panicking, Phil scanned the yard and found Buddy the golden retriever holding his paw tucked up against his chest.

Phil ran to him, asking him to sit, and gently brushed his hand up and down the arm. He had no idea what he was looking for but Buddy seemed happy to hand his paw over for Phil to hold.

“Okay, shit. Alright. I’m gonna get Dan, okay? You wait here. Don’t… don’t do anything. Don’t move.” Buddy panted in response. “You’re a good boy. I’ll be right back. Okay?” He stood up slowly, not wanting to alarm Buddy or cause him to move. Buddy wagged the tip of his tail and kept his arm raised.

Phil walked as quickly to the door as he could without breaking into a run.

“Keep an eye on them, Oliver!” He whisper-shouted as he passed.

Phil moved quickly through the house to the front where Dan said he would be. As he reached the end of the corridor, a shout startled Phil to a stop.

“Mum! I told you the bills that need to get paid are getting paid. I’m figuring the others out. You don’t need to worry.”

Phil peeked around the corner and saw Dan sat at the front desk with his head in his hands. 

“This is what I want to do.” He groaned in response to whatever was said on the other line. “I’m happier doing this than law school. I’m not going over this again.” A sharp intake of breath. “Look, I gotta go, someone just came in. Yeah, okay, yeah, bye.” He put the phone down and scrubbed his face aggressively.

Phil swallowed hard. He fixed his hair nervously and stepped forward, hoping his face was not a dead giveaway that he had overheard.

“Dan?”

He jumped, eyes wide.

“Sorry, I hope you’re not busy,” Phil said quickly, powering through so he did not give himself away. “But Buddy is limping and I wasn’t sure what to do?”

Phil was happy to see a look of calm quickly take over Dan's expression. Dan knew how to take care of his dogs. This was the kind of stress he could handle -- not the kind that came from arguments with parents.

Dan's demeanor helped to settle at least half of the reason why Phil felt so jittery.

“Buddy has a bad arm, it happens sometimes.” Dan headed toward the back, tone careful. “Sometimes he just needs a rest and then he’s back to normal.”

Phil was relieved that Buddy was okay and that his limp wasn’t due to Phil’s negligence at least. Now that that was settled, Phil couldn’t stop his mind from focusing on what he overheard.

Dan was in front of him, looking composed. He went straight to Buddy and rubbed his arm.

“You want to come sit with me, Bud?”

Buddy gently followed and Dan walked slower than normal for his sake, leading the dog to the chair on the patio. Buddy sat at Dan’s side and without hesitation, Dan ruffled the fur on his chest.

Blame it on Phil’s compulsive need to see the good in everyone but he could not believe that he thought of Dan as an asshole just this morning. It was clear now that Dan was almost _too_ full of heart. His hard exterior looked so fragile now and it basically screamed to Phil to do anything he could to _help._

Watching Dan with Buddy or any of these dogs spoke volumes of Dan’s character. It was enough for Phil to feel attached to Dan and the rescue.

The rescue seemed so big and empty to Phil now after the phone call. Dan might have a decent amount of dogs in his care but with no one to help him and his inability to pay his debt, Phil knew Dan was in need of human help. He was going to force his presence on Dan whether he wanted it or not. Phil firmly believed that everyone deserved someone and that someone did not only have to be in the form of a dog. Dan shouldn’t have to run this all by himself.

And Phil was not going to let that happen.


	3. Bella

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel's Spaniels gets a new addition.

Phil became a quick permanent fixture at _Daniel’s Spaniels_. Dan was surprised when Phil had shown up the next morning, exactly at opening time. Phil just ignored the confused looks and acted as if it was common sense for him to be there.

“I work from home,” Phil had explained. “On commission. As long as I get the projects done, I have free time and can spend it however I want,” He declared pointedly.

On the anniversary of volunteering for exactly one month, Phil opened the front door to find Dan standing, befuddled in the center of the entrance staring open-mouthed at a large stack of plastic kiddie pools.

“Oh, good! They were delivered!” Phil announced cheerily.

“What? You did this?” Dan sputtered.

“Of course! It’s getting warmer and I looked up fun summer activities for the dogs! Kiddie pools were recommended especially for bigger dogs. Then I got lost on YouTube for a while looking at videos of dogs swimming. Also, apparently, water therapy is good for dogs with joint problems so maybe if we get a big enough one Buddy could go in and it will help his limping!”

Phil was proud of the dumbstruck look he brought to Dan’s face. He gave him a pat on the shoulder as he walked by.

“Gotta say hello to the doggos and tell them the good news!”

Dan stumbled to follow after Phil. “You don’t get to tell them without me! Soon they’re gonna like you better than me!”

Phil’s responsibilities at the rescue comprised of taking care of the dogs and general maintenance of the building. Dan did not delegate any of the business side of it to Phil still and Phil never found a way to bring up the phone call he overheard or his assumption that Dan might be struggling to run his business.

Only one dog had been adopted in the month Phil had been there. Phil was surprised that there wasn’t many visits from the public, not even to play with any of their canine residents, let alone submit an application to adopt. He could tell that it got to Dan sometimes and every once in a while Dan’s mood would reflect this. He would be quieter than usual and without his typical snark. Phil learned to let him be when he got like this and would make sure the dogs were on their best behavior (a feat that wasn’t terribly difficult).

Once the dogs understood that Phil was a semi-permanent fixture in their lives, the ones that were weary began to trust him more. While Oliver stayed at Phil’s side at any given the chance, it was clear that Dan was still the majority’s favorite.

At first, Phil had slowly started increasing the amount of days he volunteered until he was there almost every day of the week. If Phil had a lot of work to do, he would at least stop by the rescue, sometimes just before closing and stay, without comment or question, a few hours late. He knew that coming back after hours to sweep the already clean floors and to play with the dogs was not exactly _necessary_ but he felt bad leaving the dogs too long, especially whenever he left them with a careless “ _see you tomorrow_!” Phil didn’t want them to feel abandoned by him when they already had so little. He had worried that Dan would think he was being unprofessional and crossing lines but he never commented on Phil’s increasingly permanent presence, only saying goodbye to him each night with a smile bigger than the one before.

The two had built an easy friendship over the month. Dan was still guarded at times and overtly aggressive without cause but they never seemed to clash. In fact, it seemed like Dan had become much gentler since Phil’s arrival. He still ranted about anything and everything, but now a component (albeit still small) of debate was now incorporated. He no longer had two hour soliloquies stating his opinions as fact, but was willing to include Phil in the discussion. This change made Dan come off far less like a rambling mad man, and more like a normal person with a healthy interest in politics and a confidence in his beliefs. (This new dynamic, however, did not make Dan’s rants last any less or occur any less frequently.)

All Dan needed was his sharp edges rounded off.

They learned that they had a lot of the same interests in music and television. It became normal for their days to start with an excited update on the latest show one of them had started watching in place of a greeting. Phil privately thought of Dan as a friend and hoped that Dan felt the same.

“I’ll be picking the new dog from the shelter up at four,” Dan reminded Phil. “Make sure to double check that the spare room is ready.”

They were taking in their first case since Phil became a regular. A labrador named Bella was set to be their newest addition, to be picked up after being spayed. Phil was excited to meet her. Dan’s nervous excitement dictated their whole day.

\---

Phil learned that the dogs, especially the furry ones, loved the pools. Phil was delighted by their excitement as they splashed through the water and whizzed around the yard. He also enjoyed the fond look on Dan’s face, especially when it was directed toward him.

Just before four, Dan left to pick up Bella and Phil triple checked every corner of what was set to be her kennel.

Dan returned nearly an hour later and the front door opened with a bang, bouncing off the wall behind it as Dan came flying into the room, dragged by a wheezing and panicking dog with a wide cone on her head.

Both Dan and the dog were panting.

“Everything okay?” Phil said nervously, hovering in front of the duo, unsure of how to help.

“She’s been like this the whole way,” Dan said tightly.

“Do you need help?”

Without pause, Dan shook his head. “No. I got this. Let’s just show her to her room.”

Her panic did not cease as she walked down the hallway. Her plastic cone smashing into the walls as she jerked from side to side and tried to turn around.

“Is she alright?” Phil had to maintain a slight jog to keep up.

“She’s still waking up from the anesthesia. Sometimes that can make a dog a little anxious.” Dan grunted as she whipped him around a corner, slamming his elbow into the wall corner.

As the reached the showroom, Phil ran ahead to open the door. Dan had explained that while the showroom was typically reserved for interested adopters to be able to interact with the dogs, he also used it to help new arrivals acclimate to the rescue and to give them a more gentle introduction to the others. Dan and Phil had spent the last week turning the room into a makeshift kennel and Phil was particularly proud of the room’s feng shui.

Bella charged into the room and, after checking that the door was shut, Dan let go of her leash so she could investigate her new surroundings. He followed after her, running from one side of the room to the next, arms hovering nervously.

“Should she be running around like that after just having surgery?” Phil worried.

“No,” Dan shouted, trying to catch her without frightening her.

He managed to get a hold of her and to calm her down with the help of a treat. She sat while he scratched her chest, her eyes bugging. The neon orange bandage wrapped around her arm was bright against her black fur. Both Dan and Bella looked exhausted.

Her blinks grew heavy as she regarded Dan, Phil, and the room around her. After a moment, she slid to the floor and her head began to droop.

“Shit, Phil,” Dan jerked his head up. He kept his voice low as to not excite Bella. “ What time is it? It has to be past five now.”

Phil looked at his watch.

“It’s alright. I’ll help get Bella situated.”

“No, it’s okay, I have this under control.”

Phil looked at him skeptically. “I don’t mind staying late, Dan. You know this.”

Bella laid her head down and closed her eyes.

“Yeah, but… you've stayed late almost every night this week and I can’t expect you to do that. I don’t even pay you and you work just as hard as I do. Go home. Enjoy your night like a normal person.”

“Are you sure? Do you want me to feed the dogs before I leave?”

Dan rolled his eyes at Phil’s hesitation. “No, just... Go. Home. Look, she’s asleep, I’ll let her rest, take care of the others, and come back to check on her. ” He slowly stood, pausing before lifting a foot to make sure Bella remained undisturbed. He tiptoed over to Phil.

“Go home,” he whispered. “I can handle my own rescue alone, I promise.”

As he slowly turned the door handle and motioned for Phil to leave first, a loud cry pierced the air as Bella stumbled to her feet. Her glassy eyes looked panicked once more and she cried sharply in their direction, trying her best to run over to them, her yelp announcing that the sudden movement caused her pain.

“No, no, no, Bella, it’s okay! Shh!” Dan ran back to her side, stopping her in place. “Come on, sweetie, you can’t run or you’re going to rip your stitches. It’s okay.”

She kept whining in response and looked absolutely terrified. Phil's resolve hardened.

“Dan, I’m staying.”

“Phil--!”

“No, you obviously need to stay with her so she can rest. I’ll feed the others, alright? I’ll be back.” He left without confirmation.

\---

Phil came back into the room to find Dan holding his phone with one hand and petting Bella’s head with the other as she slept half on top of him.

“Google said she’s having an extreme reaction to the anesthesia…. Obviously. I called my contact at the shelter and she said that this isn’t concerning but we have to keep an eye on her. She recommended I stay with her to make sure doesn’t hurt herself. She does better with the cone off so I’m just… watching.”

Phil walked over to the two and sat, criss-crossed in front of them.

“Dan--” Phil stopped at the look on Dan’s face: exasperated and clearly ready to argue. “No, listen! I want to help. And before you say no, remember that this _is_ my job and it is _my_ life to decide how I spend my free time and you are _my,_ um, my…” Dan’s eyebrows raised slightly, watching Phil stutter and turn pink. “You are my boss,” Phil continued, unsteadily. “And friend? I hope you think of me as a friend? Because I do?” If one more statement came out as a question Phil was going to slap himself. He hoped the amused look on Dan’s face meant he was enjoying Phil’s blunder. “Anyways!” Phil shook his head. “It’s my job, my life. You’re my friend and these are my dogs… partially. I’m staying.”

Dan was silent for a moment before resigning. “Fine. How were the others?”

Phil told Dan that they were all behaving as per usual. He put most of them outside after dinner and knew that he had to get back to them shortly.

Bella whined in her sleep and snuggled harder against Dan’s calf.

\---

When Phil returned the second time, Dan and Bella were curled around each other, with Dan as the big spoon. His arm was wrapped around her belly and her head cushioned on his arm. His nose was buried in the fur at her neck and Bella’s foot twitched in her sleep. Their bodies on partially on the jumbo-sized dog bed.

Phil felt an ache in his heart at the sight. He tiptoed to the pair and sat in front of them.

Bella rolled her eyes open and looked at Phil. He jumped, reaching a hand out to pet her as fast as possible to keep her from getting worked up again and waking Dan up.

He scratched behind her ears, carefully avoiding Dan’s face. Her breathing slowed and Dan eyes remained closed.

Phil smoothed a hand down her shoulder to her chest. Although he knew Dan was about his height, as he laid there curled around Bella’s large size, his legs crooked and his arms around her, Dan looked so small. His curly hair was mussed and his cheeks were tinted from the warmth of Bella’s body. Only Dan’s top half was on the dog bed, while the rest laid on the linoleum floor.

Phil’s fingers twitched to make contact with Dan’s. They were inches apart. Phil’s pinky reached out to skim Dan’s.

His skin was warm. Soft.

Phil smothered the want to hold his hand, afraid that it wouldn’t be enough.

“Phil?” a groggy Dan asked, his voice muffled. Phil moved his hand away and rubbed it against his jeans.

“Just checking on you two,” he cleared his throat. “I mean, on Bella, you know.”

Phil was suddenly so chokingly awkward that he couldn’t even keep eye contact with Dan. The fondness he felt for Dan was surely written across his face and the soft, sleepy look on Dan’s was not helping matters.

“The rest of the dogs okay?” Dan asked, ignoring Phil’s awkwardness.

“Yup,” Phil could still feel the lump in his throat and all he could think about was how easy it was to pretend that the dogs were both of theirs. That this was their home. That their partnership was more than business. “I fed them, walked most of them. They’re outside now. I have a few more walks to finish and then they’ll be done for the night.”

Dan made a noise of content and snuggled back into Bella’s fur. “She seems to be doing alright for now,” he spoke against her neck, voice coming out marbled, and Phil was mad at himself for knowing Dan’s voice so well that he understood every word. He pulled away and looked at Phil, eyes still sleepy. “She gets nervous when I move away from her, though. I think I’ll have to sleep with her tonight.”

Phil knew what was going to happen before he even voiced it out loud. He blamed his love for the dogs and blatantly ignored this new intense form of affection for Dan entirely.

“How about I stay the night.” It wasn’t even a question. Phil knew that there was no way Dan was going to talk him out of it.

Dan seemed to wake up finally. “I can’t ask you to do that, Phil.”

“It’ll be too much for you to handle. With Bella in this state and the other dogs needing you... Besides, you’re exhausted. Who knows if she’s going to keep you up all night; it'll be better with two people. Besides, I don’t have anything planned tonight. It’s fine.” Dan didn’t need to know that the rescue (and in extension: Dan) had at some point, unbeknownst to Phil, become the most fulfilling thing in his life.

Phil had always thought of himself as a happy person but had recently discovered the difference between feeling content and feeling truly _happy_. One was defined by neutrality and a sense of just getting by. The other was characterized by an eagerness to start the day and a buzzing excitement at the prospect of what was to come. Dan and his dogs may or may not have been the motivation behind this realization.

Dan looked like he wanted to argue with Phil. Phil could see him looking for a counter-argument and failing.

“I’ll take her out in the front for a quick walk while you finish up with the dogs outside, okay?”

Dan agreed to take turns with Bella and to leave her in the care of Phil. He sat up, and called out her name gently. He kept pressure on her chest to keep her from getting up too fast.

“Let's go outside, alright? I’m gonna leave you with Phil. Be a good girl.” She stood up unsteadily. Dan got her ready and handed the leash to Phil.

His hand rested a moment too long against Phil’s.

“Thank you.”

The sincerity took Phil aback.

“Of course, Dan.”

Dan smiled, softly. His hand moved from Phil’s to the side of Bella’s head. He leant down and planted a kiss between her eyes.

“I’ll see you both soon.”

\---

To both of their surprise, and Dan’s discontent, Bella seemed much more relaxed around Phil. On their brief walk, she did her business quickly and kept to Phil’s side. While it might have just been the combination of her tiredness, her increasing level of trust of her surroundings, and the anesthesia slowly wearing off, Phil firmly believed it was due to his magic touch... as he so proudly told Dan.

It was cute and entertaining -- until it came time to switch shifts and Bella’s panicked crying returned. As soon as the door had shut behind Phil, the wailing started. Dan texted him saying to give her some time to settle. But when the wailing continued on and the other dogs started to bark in response, Phil opened the door and popped his head in.

Dan was exasperatedly following Bella from corner to corner. With resignation and absolutely no trace of surprise, he watched her return to Phil almost immediately.

“Looks like she has a favorite,” Dan muttered darkly.

Bella sat on Phil’s feet, her ears down. As Phil pet her head, she turned to keep eye contact with Dan.

“See! She does like you. She just… likes me more,” Phil laughed at the expression on Dan’s face. Phil caught glimpse of the upturned corner of Dan’s mouth as he turned his head away.

“I can’t ask you to sleep on a dog bed on the floor, Phil. Again, do I have to remind you that you aren’t paid for this?”

“Have you ever thought maybe this is what I wanted all along? To be able to sleep on a dog bed with a dog having a bad drug reaction for free? That’s the real reason why I started to volunteer,” Phil joked.

“I should’ve known. Phil Lester: secret furry."

Phil spluttered, hands shooting out to cover Bella’s ears. “Don’t say that around the dogs!”

Dan threw his head back and laughed loudly. Bella’s tail twitched, thinking it was all for her.

Dan left the room and came back with all the spare blankets and pillows he had. They were able to create a mediocrely comfortable makeshift bed out of the plush comforters.

“So, how do you get the dog’s ready for bed?”

Dan suddenly looked away; his face blotched with red.

“Do you put them in their kennels and go upstairs for the night? Or…?”

“Uh, kind of, yeah,” Dan responded, not looking at Phil.

“What do you mean, ‘kind of?’”

“I don’t… I tend to keep their kennels open so they have the _option_ of going in them. Especially, you know, if they’re the more sensitive dogs, of course, I shut them in their kennels. But sometimes they don’t like to be alone and I hate to see them in a cage so…” He paused, still not looking at Phil. “I-let-them-sleep-with-me,” he muttered to the ground in quick succession.

“You, what?”

“I don’t want them to feel alone or afraid so I let them sleep with me.” He glared at Phil daring him to make fun of him. Phil gaped as Dan rushed on. “It started by letting a couple of the more needy ones in my bedroom upstairs but then Buddy wanted to come along and he has a hard time going up stairs so I slept on the couch one night and they were all so happy! Then I started to feel guilty only letting some come so now I just let them all wander at night. I keep the doggy gates up so they can’t go to certain areas but--” he cut himself off without finishing, cheeks inflamed.

Despite trying to keep himself quiet, a snort escaped out of Phil which ricocheted into raucous laughter. Dan glared in response and crossed his arms. He stood to leave the room but Phil reached out and grabbed his arm.

Struggling for breath, Phil said: “Dan, wait! I’m sorry. I’m not laughing at you, I promise! It’s just hilarious that you let a herd of dogs sleep on top you every night.”

Dan harrumphed in response. “S’not funny,” he said indignantly.

“No, it’s not,” Phil reassured, good-heartedly. “It’s sweet, really. You do it so they don’t feel alone. I wouldn’t’ve expected that from you the first time I met you.”

Dan looked at Phil inquisitively. “What do you mean?”

“Well,” suddenly Phil felt unsure of himself. “You were, you know, not the most _welcoming_ person. I saw two children running away from you in tears because you yelled at them.” From the look on Dan’s face, Phil hurried to continue. “ _Not that they weren’t wrong or that you weren’t doing your job_.” Dan nodded triumphantly in response. “You just come across as a little aggressive sometimes. But it’s okay because you’re not like that once you get to know someone! Like now, I wouldn’t describe you as mean. You’re… kind,” he finished lamely.

Dan looked slightly uncomfortable. “Don’t tell anyone that, you’ll ruin my branding,” he joked. “I’m going to jot down what you said, by the way, so I can tell my future therapist why I don’t have any friends,” he laughed at himself deprecatingly.

Phil wanted to jump at defending Dan from himself. How dare he not know how much of a wonderful, charming, and intoxicating person he was -- but Dan silenced him with a smile.

“I’m only kidding, don’t get mad. And… thank you for saying that. I’m sorry if I was rude to you at the adoption event. Saying I’m not much of a ‘people person’ is a vast understatement.”

Bella whined softly, her big eyes staring at Dan’s, begging for attention. “Maybe being around so many dogs has made me forget how to be around humans.”

“Hey! I’m here now,” he elbowed Dan jokingly. “Dogs and Phil.”

“Yeah, my one human friend--what an achievement,” Dan laughed. Phil felt his heart swell just from being called Dan’s friend.

“I think Bella wants you to stay,” Phil said. He hoped it wasn’t so obvious that he desperately wanted Dan to spend some more time with him.

“I guess I can sit here a little longer,” Dan said, voice slightly unsure. “The dogs are all probably asleep on the couch now waiting for me.”

They led Bella to the dog bed and got her settled. Phil took position in the makeshift bed directly next to hers, and Dan silently joined on the floor between the two. They stared at Bella in silence, waiting for her to fall asleep again.

“I never asked… what made you start the rescue?”

Dan was silent for a moment, collecting his thoughts. It filled Phil with joy to see all the contradicting sides of Dan’s personality -- those moments when he was brash, intense, and loud, juxtaposed with this current quiet, introspective, and thoughtful state. Getting to know Dan was one of the best rewards of volunteering at the shelter.

“We had dogs growing up.” Dan picked at the fabric of the blanket as he spoke. “I always got along better with dogs than humans. No shocker there. When I went to university, I had a hard time making friends. I was, uh, pretty lonely. And then I found a stray dog one night and snuck it into my accommodation. She was so skinny and hungry, I used the little money I had to get her everything she needed. I had her for a week before someone in the office found out and they told me I had to get rid of her. Luckily, a lady there had a soft spot for her and brought her home.” He smiled softly at Phil.

“It was a great feeling, you know? To be needed. To be able to provide a living being with all the things they needed. To be their whole world.”

Phil’s swallowed the emotion down, attempting to sound unaffected when he asked, “When did you open the rescue?”

“Not longer after that, a relative died and left me enough money to get this house. To my family’s disapproval, I dropped out of university and started the rescue.”

“All by yourself?” Phil asked, impressed.

“I guess, yeah? I mean, you’ve obviously caught on by now to the fact that I don’t really have a lot of help.”

“And that you prefer to do everything yourself when it comes to the dogs,” Phil finished.

Dan raised his eyebrows at Phil. “Are my trust issues that obvious?”

“You have standards,” Phil corrected gently.

“It is nice to have someone else to rely on when it comes to the rescue,” Dan returned to picking the threads of the blanket. Phil wanted to reach out and still his nervous fingers. “I worry that I’m…”

“You’re what?”

“That I’m not running the rescue well enough for the dogs.” Dan exhaled heavily, shoulders sagging.

“What makes you say that?” Phil sputtered.

“We don’t have a good rate of adoptions and I only have so much space so I can’t take in any new cases unless dogs get adopted. I don’t know much about business. I don’t have a degree in anything. I’m not qualified for this. All I know is that I love dogs. But if I don’t run the rescue right and these dogs are never adopted, their lives are on my hands. I’m… I’m _very much_ aware of how many lives are in my responsibility and the thought that my inabilities could cause a dog to get euthanized, a dog that I could have have rescued had I been competent enough... gives me panic attacks.”

Phil hurried to assure Dan. “Don’t downplay what you do! I’ve never seen dogs love someone more than these dogs love you! You've made them feel safe and happy. You can’t think about all the dogs you aren’t saving because you’re busy saving the ones you have -- that will just drive you mad.”

“Focusing on the here and now is not my strong suit. I’m very much a ‘hyper-fixate-on-all-your-incompetencies-and-the-things-you-can’t-control-until-you-have-an-aneurysm’ kind of person.”

“What you do is amazing, Dan, and I’m constantly impressed by you!” Dan looked at him skeptically. “Honestly! You do this all alone and you do it _well_. I don’t want to overstep but I could try some ideas on getting the word out more? You just have to let me help you. Just because you had no choice before doesn’t mean you always have to do everything alone.”

Dan looked taken aback. “I--sure--okay,” he stuttered. “We can talk about your ideas tomorrow?”

Phil nodded eagerly.

“I better get back to the dogs now. Let you two get some rest.” Dan cleared his throat and gave Bella a pet before standing. “Text me if you need anything. Make sure to let me know how she’s doing and if you need a break, okay?”

He whispered a ‘goodnight’ to Bella and walked to the door. His footsteps paused before reaching the door. “And Phil? How about we talk about your ideas alone tomorrow? That way we can actually spend a moment with each other away from the dogs?”

Everything about Dan’s tone and appearance remained calm, as if it was no big deal. Phil tried to swallow down his nervous excitement.

“Of course,” Phil answered quickly.

Dan smiled in return, face fond.

“Goodnight, Phil. See you two tomorrow.” Dan shut the door behind him.

Bella seemed unfazed by the entire conversation, half asleep and perfectly content to be with Phil. Meanwhile, Phil could feel the grin spread across his face as the butterflies in his stomach took flight. That night Phil slept better on the floor next to a snoring, drugged up dog than he ever thought he could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is influenced by my dog (a black lab named Rufus) and his history of reacting poorly to anesthesia <3


	4. Bella pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan and Phil spend time alone without the dogs for once.

The night passed smoothly except for a few rough spots when Bella woke up panicked, wide eyed, and paced around the room. It took some time, but Phil was always able to calm her and lull her back to sleep. Phil texted Dan whenever she woke him up and despite the hour, Dan’s responses would come almost immediately. Phil never had to ask Dan to join him and it was obvious that Bella’s reaction to the anesthesia was wearing off as time passed.

Phil woke up in the morning to a tail whacking him repeatedly in the face. A whispered “Bella, shh!” caused Phil to open his eyes, blearily blinking around the room. He saw the blurry form of Dan crouched down, holding a mug and trying to appease Bella’s growing excitement.

Phil reached for his glasses. The first thing he realized was that he was dangerously close to Bella’s butt and her excited tail was whipping back and forth, threatening to slap him across the face. He sat up, rubbing his eyes under the glasses and looked up questioningly at a sheepish Dan.

“Sorry,” he gave Phil an apologetic grin. “I wanted to check on you two. I didn’t know she was going to wake you up.”

Phil grumbled in response, not ready to be awake but also unable to be fully annoyed at Dan when he stood there swimming in an oversized sweater and sweatpants. His face was still lined by sleep.

“It’s okay. Bella probably has to go out anyways.” She quickly turned her head at the sound of her name and stared at Phil. The panicked looked was completely gone and only happiness showed on her face. She hurried to give Phil a quick succession of kisses across his face, skewing his glasses. He steadied her and she immediately stopped, looking up at Phil with complete and total adoration.

“She likes you,” Dan said, tone soft.

“I like her too,” Phil said, eyes darting between Bella and Dan as he said it.

“I made coffee,” he raised the hand that was holding the mug. “I wasn’t sure how you took it…”

“Milk and sugar, please. Black coffee makes me sick.”

Dan grinned. “I’m not sure what it says that my guess was right, but here you go,” he handed the mug to Phil.

Phil took a sip of it. It could use a bit more sugar but it was acceptable.

After a big gulp, Phil asked: “What made you guess that I took it with milk and sugar?”

“Just, you know, you’re general positive personality. I assumed you liked things sweet.”

Phil grinned into his mug. “I’m not sure how accurate of a gauge that is. Based off that, you, what, like your coffee as black and bitter as possible?”

“I prefer espresso, actually,” he answered with a smirk. “But I do take my tea with two sugars. What does that say about me, huh?”

“Obviously that you’re bitter at first with a sweet aftertaste…” They both looked at each other, eyebrows raised and Phil slowly become horrified with embarrassed. “I didn’t mean for that to come out like a euphemism…”

Dan cackled.

Blushing, Phil changed the subject. “ _Anyways_ , I think Bella will be alright to be left alone today. She’s doing much better.”

Dan showed him mercy and let his blunder go. “I can see that. I guess you do have the magic touch, Phil.” A pause. “That wasn’t a euphemism either,” he said pointedly.

Phil shot him an unamused look.

“Sorry,” Dan laughed, looking anything but. “How does it sound if after we take the dogs out, we walk to the cafe down the road? I know we just had coffee but it’s the closest thing around here and it’ll be a while until we're ready to go anyways…”

“That sounds great!” Phil felt his heart race and blamed it on the coffee.

“Cool… so you get ready. I left a spare toothbrush on the counter in the bathroom upstairs. I’ll take Bella outside and get started with the others, okay?”

Bella followed Dan out of the room with only one longing look at Phil to check if he was coming along. Phil followed the pair out of the door and walked up the stairs to Dan’s home.

The whole time he worked at the rescue, Phil had never crossed the “KEEP OUT” sign and while the door to the second floor normally remained shut and locked, it now hung open, invitingly.

He passed a room full of filing cabinets and found the bathroom easily. He brushed his teeth, and used Dan’s deodorant. After he got ready, he looked out of a window and caught sight of Dan in the front yard with Bella, congratulating her on going to the bathroom. Without second-thought, Phil wandered further down the hall and peered into doorways as he went.

Dan’s bedroom was obvious. The curtains were drawn and the room dark, but Phil could still see what it looked like. The room was bare, especially for someone that had lived here for almost two years. The bed was made and looked untouched. There were clothes thrown across it and boxes stacked on the ground. He could see an overcrowded bookshelf that held a mixture of books, films, and CDs -- some of which were Phil’s personal favorites.

The room made Phil vaguely sad, reminding him of the phone call he overheard on his first day.

When he heard the front door open and Bella’s nails on the hardwood floor, Phil quickly returned downstairs. Bella immediately ran to his side.

Together they took care of the dogs. Dan had already fed them breakfast, all but Bella had eaten. Phil got her food and medicine prepared while Dan continued putting the dogs in the backyard. On leash, they let Bella meet some of the other dogs, careful of any bad interactions. She got along nicely with the few she did sniff out and seemed happy to be around them.  

It took close to two hours until Dan was okay with leaving the rescue. They put the dogs back into the kennels and led Bella back into the showroom-turned-boarding-area. She was content to follow Phil’s direction and got a handful of treats in return. Bella happily curled into a ball on her bed as they closed the door behind her. She looked ready for a peaceful snooze, still tired from the stress of yesterday.

“Looks like Oliver is going to have some competition,” Dan laughed.

\---

Their walk to the cafe was defined by a comfortable silence. The pair felt a sense of ease with being in each other’s space that they hadn’t felt before. A mutual sense of understanding and trust filled the space between them.

When they reached the counter to order, the barista’s face lit up, looking at Phil. “I haven’t seen you in a while! Welcome back!”

Phil flushed. “Hi, sorry. I’ve been, uh, busy.”

“No worries. You’re usual then?”

Phil nodded. “And a chocolate croissant, please.”

She looked at Dan.

“Oh, hi! I do hope you’re going to have another adoption event soon. That was my favorite lunch break I’ve ever taken.”

“Yes, hopefully,” he smiled easy. “I’ll have a blueberry muffin, please, and an espresso.”

“Sure thing!” She rang up their total and Dan handed her his card.

“Don’t even argue, Phil, this is the least I can do when you work for free.”

They took their items and sat down in the booth furthest from the door, tucked in a corner.

“You come here a lot then?” Dan asked, fidgeting with his cup.

“I used to.”

“Am I coming between you and your coffee?” Dan teased.

“No! I just… don’t want to waste my time coming here anymore.” _I would rather spend it with you and the dogs_ , was left unsaid.

Dan hummed in response, taking a careful sip of his drink.

“Thanks again for staying with Bella last night. You’ve been a big help to the rescue,” he picked at his muffin instead of looking at Phil, uneasy about confirming his need for help.

“I told you, I love doing this. You don’t have to thank me. I should thank you for letting me.”

“We’ll just have to settle with us both being thankful for the other, yeah?”

Their smiles matched: soft, languid, and effortless.

“So, what clever ideas do you have to fix my failures?” Dan said, tone light.

“You’re not a failure, stop.” It was like second nature at this point for Phil to defend Dan from himself. Phil continued without pause. “The internet, obviously.” He continued despite Dan’s skeptical look. “How many people get millions of followers on Instagram because of their cute dogs? So many rescues and shelters network that way and it’s the best way to spread word about the dogs!”

“I mean, I’ve _thought_ about it but it takes up my whole day just running the rescue…”

“And that’s why I’m here!” Phil announced brightly. “I’ll set everything up and get the word out. Best case scenario: it becomes so popular they put us on the news!”

“And worst case…?” Dan probed.

“Worst case: it only becomes popular in this area but that still means more people know about the dogs and they’re more likely to get adopted!”

This was one of those moments where Phil’s suffocating optimism helped to cancel out Dan’s tendency to spiral toward the most negative possible conclusion.

They ate their food in silence while Dan thought it over.

“Alright,” Dan said without preamble. Phil let the grin spread across his face without restraint. Dan’s matching bright smile was involuntary.

“Anyways, as much as I love my dogs, let’s talk about something other than them for once,” Dan paused to take a big sip of his drink. “Tell me about yourself.”

“What do you mean? You know who I am.”

“I know the _basics._ I mean, the deep stuff. Are you happy in life? Are you doing what you want to be doing?”

Phil tried to grasp at an answer. Avoiding it, he asked, “And what, I get to ask you these question too?”

Dan smirked. “Sure. But you have to answer them first.”

Phil struggled. “Fine… I guess I’m happy? I’m a pretty happy person, I’d say. You know, overall. I guess I could be _happier_ but I’m okay with my life.”

“Just okay?”

“I’ve felt worse,” Phil defended himself. “So I would say right now I’m pretty happy. The rescue…” he cut himself off, choosing his words carefully. “The rescue has made me feel more fulfilled. So I am happier now than I was a month or so ago.”

Dan looked happy with his response. “What about your job?”

“It’s just that -- a job. It’s not that _thrilling_ but it pays the bills. I work from home so that can be a bit… lonely. Especially when a lot of the people I know have normal jobs and are buying their own homes and getting married.”

“Yeah, that is difficult,” Dan said to his napkin.

“What about you? Same questions.”

“What--am I happy? Kind of. Am I where I thought I would be? No. Did you go to uni?”

Phil spluttered. “That’s all you’re going to say?!”

“What else is there? I think you know me pretty well, Phil. You could guess on those answers and be right.”

“You can’t make me spill my insecurities and then not do so in return!”

“Fine, I’ll _elaborate._ I’m decently content with my life now. Having someone,” he looked pointedly at Phil, “help out has made me extraordinarily happier. I never thought I’d end up running my own dog rescue but it’s very much the thing I love doing the most. I don’t know how I would keep any other job, especially with someone telling me what to do. Is that enough?”

Phil moved his cup so the coffee swirled inside it. “Do you wish you had more people besides me?”

“No,” Dan answered quickly, before stumbling over his words. “I mean, of course that would help the rescue run smoother and give the dogs more attention but I think you do a lot, Phil, and together we handle it.”

“What about feeling lonely?”

Dan smiled sardonically at Phil. “That obvious? That has also improved... coincidentally since you started. I wonder why that might be,” his tone was sarcastic. A pause.  “I think it’s obvious you’re my friend, Phil. The best one I have probably.”

Phil felt pride blossom in his chest. “I’m glad.”

“You’re glad, that’s all you’re going to say?” Dan shouted, causing Phil to snort into his drink.

“You’re my friend too, Dan! That’s obvious too! And, by the way, yes, I did go to uni.”

“What for?”

“English. What good that did me.”

“Hey! I dropped out of law school. No judgment here.”

“I just think I might be one of those people that gets their joy from hobbies or interests, you know? And maybe those don’t always translate to jobs and that’s perfectly fine. But if they miraculously do, like yours, then you’re lucky.”

“Next time my mum calls can you say that to her?” Dan said darkly.

Phil was reminded again of the phone call he overheard on his first day. “Does she not approve?” Phil asked carefully.

“It’s not that she doesn’t approve, but that she worries about me handling this all alone. The bills and that.” Dan avoided Phil’s eyes once again.

“Hopefully the social media promotion fixes that, huh,” Phil said softly in response.

Dan hummed. “Do you live with anyone?”

“No.”

“Does your family live nearby?”

“A few hours away. Yours?”

“Same here, luckily. Are you dating anyone?”

“No,” Phil answered too quickly. “Are you?”

“Nope,” Dan answered easily. “I’ll stop feeling bad for all the times you stay too late then.”

“No jealous boyfriends to worry about. I’m all yours,” Phil cringed. “For work. I’m here to help. For the dogs. I’m… happy to volunteer.”

Dan laughed loudly. “What a way with words you have for someone with an English degree. And if that was your clever way of asking about my sexuality -- same.”

“Same?”

“I’m into guys. And women. Not that that has increased my luck at finding someone.”

Phil took note and mentally catalogued the information in his Dan file. The metaphorical note was bold, highlighted, and underlined twice, with several exclamation points tacked on at the end. He already started to wonder whether or not this was a date, or if it was possible that Dan could be into him, but he quieted the panic for now. Later, when he was alone in his apartment trying to will sleep to come as early as possible so the next day with Dan could start was the time to hyper fixate on those questions.

The two trailed off into a more flippant conversation about any and everything they could think of. It seemed like they never ran out of things to talk about and if they did, Dan would quickly fill the silence with a heated opinion that Phil had never thought twice about. It started to thrill him to be on the receiving end of Dan’s rants -- to get to hear how his mind worked, to help him theorize about various things, and to be the only one that could neutralize him.

After an hour, they stood, threw out their trash, and stepped into the street. They paused. They both knew that Phil’s apartment was in the opposite direction of the rescue. Their feet shifted in place, unwilling to be the first to leave.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” Phil didn’t know why he felt so unsure of how to act. His arms felt too long and his feet too heavy. It was as though every new chance of understanding and connecting with Dan threw him more off balance -- unsure of what he meant in his life. Phil started as a stranger and someone Dan probably didn't want to see again, to becoming his co-worker, to becoming his friend. Best friend. Each step passed so suddenly that it was hard to keep up, and Phil knew that his feelings were far from just professional or platonic. He wanted to be with Dan and the dogs every minute of every day.

“See you tomorrow, I guess,” Dan spoke softly in the space between them.

Phil’s feet only seemed to cooperate with his mind when it was telling them to move closer to Dan. His step brought him enticingly close to Dan’s face, the freckles obvious from this distance. Only a moment of hesitation passed before Phil held his arms out for a hug.

They both had verbally confirmed their friendship (something Phil was sure that most twenty-somethings did not do) so a hug was okay -- right?

Dan moved into the embrace and hugged Phil back. It was rare for someone to be taller than Phil and he liked it. His chin hooked on Dan’s shoulder, and Dan’s equally long arms wrapped effortlessly around his torso. It felt good. It felt safe.

It felt right.

The hug didn’t last long enough before they separated, their bodies moving in opposite directions, but their hearts connected by a single desire to be in each other’s space once again.

 


	5. Oliver

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil's plan works.

By Phil’s two month mark at the rescue, he was quite proud to note that _Daniel’s Spaniels_ ’ social media presence grew exponentially (an easy feat when the previous standard was a big, fat zero). He started an Instagram showcasing all the dogs and posted videos of their individual quirks.

Phil was happy to lend his experience with editing to make silly and dramatic videos that would hopefully go further than just the local rescue circles. Phil’s favorite video he made so far was of the four dachshunds, Merry, Pippin, Frodo, and Sam, all playing with a giant ball that he had decorated to look like the Eye of Mordor. It ended with Frodo running away with the diamond ring plushie that had been the result of one of Phil’s now routine Amazon shopping sprees for the dogs.

Dan’s favorite thing they had posted on social media was the longstanding and non-consensual series of photos showing just how attached Oliver was to Phil. It seemed as though Dan was always there to capture Oliver at his neediest and loved to embarrass Phil in front of their growing number of followers. (“It’s not like it’s _rare_ ,” Dan had teased. “Your bond is something the world must know!”) Bella still preferred Phil’s company over Dan’s but was just happy for any attention altogether. Oliver was clearly the president of the Phil fanclub.

Easily the most embarrassing one was when Phil had accidentally fallen asleep cuddled with Oliver on the couch, after a particularly long day. It was routine for Oliver to demand Phil’s attention and to assume ownership of his lap at any given chane. As per usual, Phil pet and scratched Oliver to his content until he grew too exhausted and his arms went numb. Oliver kept gently pawing at Phil’s arm, urging him to go on, until they both fell asleep.

That night, Oliver gracefully had one half of his face smushed beyond comprehension into Phil's stomach. One lip had slid up so that his wet mouth was seeping drool into Phil’s shirt. Oliver's stilts for legs were carelessly thrown over Phil’s. Once Phil’s head had fallen, angled towards Oliver's, was when Dan took the picture.

It already had too many likes in Phil’s opinion.

“It’s cute!” Dan had stated. “Look how precious it is! It shows Oliver’s loving side.”

Phil wanted to argue but the fact that Dan was at least partially calling him ‘cute’ made him secede.

Dan was much happier now that the dogs were getting more attention, even if it was only online. Phil had received a few inquiries about the dogs but so far nothing had come of it. Defending Dan from his own tendency of cynicism and dramatics became just another one of Phil’s duties at the rescue. He often reminded Dan that patience was key and soon enough there would be more applications for adoption. They just had to wait.

In the meantime, they continued posting cute pictures of the dogs and trying to network with other rescue groups or internet famous dogs.

It was at Phil’s three month anniversary of working at the rescue, and a month of being on Instagram, that it finally happened.

Dan came running into the back where Phil was playing with the dogs and, out of breath, announced that someone was coming by the next day to see Oliver.

“It was a woman, she’s coming with her teenage daughter. They said that those photos of you with Oliver made them fall in love! It worked Phil!”

He ran over to Phil and pulled him into a tight hug. Phil belatedly returned the hug, his mind struggling to decide on an emotion.

Dan pulled away, a wide grin stretched over his face, eyes crinkled and cheeks dimpled. “You did it!”

Phil smiled automatically in return, still feeling to confused to speak.

“They live an hour away. Can you believe that?” Dan continued, not realizing anything was amiss. “They are willing to drive out here just because of those Instagram photos! She seemed great but we’ll know better when we meet them. I have a good feeling about this though!” He smiled brightly at Phil, not knowing that the smile on Phil’s face felt frozen.

“That’s great, Dan. I’m really glad,” his voice sounded off but Dan was too caught up in his excitement to hear it.

The rest of the day passed in weirdly slow moments for Phil. He couldn’t help but seek out Oliver throughout the day. A pit formed in his stomach whenever Oliver ran to him, tongue lolling and expression lit up with joy. Phil wasn’t sure what was happening. He should be beyond happy at the prospect of Oliver finally finding his forever home. He would never have to wait for attention again, being the sole dog for his family to love. But the very image of Oliver stretched out across someone else’s lap, giving kisses to a stranger, or looking lovingly at someone other than him, made Phil’s eyes sting.

He _loved_ Oliver, in a different way than he loved the other dogs. Phil did not want their cuddle session to stop or to never see those big brown eyes gazing up into his. The pain of the potential loss of Oliver struck something within Phil that made him feel embarrassed.

Phil knew he acted off the whole day, more introspective than usual and less upbeat. The moments that Dan did spend with him were uncharacteristically quiet. The concerned and confused looks that Dan kept giving him were unnoticed by Phil, thoughts turned inward and eyes focused on one single thing.

At closing, Phil numbly began to reach for his jacket and was startled when Dan snatched it out of his hands, expression annoyed.

“Enough. What’s going on?”

“I--what--give me my jacket,” Phil stuttered, reaching for the jacket being held hostage and twisted in Dan’s grip.

“Nope, not until you tell me why you’ve been weird all day.”

Phil glanced around the living room looking for an answer other than the truth. “It’s nothing. I’m just -- tired.”

Dan rolled his eyes. “Do you think I’m an idiot? What’s going on?” Silence. “Are you mad at me? Do you not want to work here anymore?”

Phil jumped. “No, of course not!”

Exasperated, Dan shouted, “Then what is it? Ever since I told you about Oliver you’ve…” He trailed off. Phil’s feeling of guilt grew when he saw realization spread on Dan’s face. “It’s Oliver, isn’t it?”

“I’m sorry! I’m just being stupid. I know it’s not professional, I’ll--I’ll get over it, okay? I’m sorry.”

The harsh annoyance reading off of Dan melted. Phil felt even more stupid.

“Phil… you don’t have to apologize --”

“Yes, I do, Dan!” Phil cut him off, becoming agitated. He was in the wrong. Dan shouldn’t be defending him. “It’s selfish of me to feel this way. It’s about _Oliver_ not me.  I should be happy for him and _I am_. It’s just… I’m going to miss him,” he finished quietly.

Dan threw the jacket on the couch and gripped Phil’s arms. “I’m going to miss him too. It’s not selfish. You love him.”

Phil took a deep breath, trying to satiate the emotions bubbling within him. He was blinking too much.

“Come here,” Dan muttered, pulling Phil to the couch. He kept a hold of Phil’s arm and sat so their thighs were touching. “Tell me what you’re feeling.”

“I’m just sad. I don’t want him to leave but I want him to be happy. And I know I can’t keep him because my apartment has a no dog policy and I don’t know if I’d even be ready. But… I love him and I don’t want him to think I abandoned him.”

Dan squeezed Phil’s hand and held it between his. “He won’t think you abandoned him. Oliver loves you and that’s a good thing. That means you’re doing your job right. As much as we might not want to think so, they aren’t ours to keep. We’re just here to show them love until they find their permanent family. It’s never easy to let them go and sometimes you have a case that’s harder than the others.”

Phil sniffled quietly. His chest hurt. He turned to Dan. “I just love him.”

Dan’s face was pinched in sympathy, matching Phil’s. “I know. I love him too.”

The duo were silent for a moment. Their hands pressed against each other, a sense of melancholy passed between them.

“You know when I told you why I started the rescue...” Dan said softly.

“Yeah, the stray you found at uni?”

“I cried for days when the lady took her home. I never told anyone that because it felt stupid and selfish but that’s what I did. I wanted to keep her so badly. Part of doing this job is knowing when it’s not your time to have one. I couldn’t provide her the home that the woman could and I had to just deal with it. It hurts but it’s actually the most unselfish thing to recognize that someone else can give them more than you can.”

“Sometimes,” Dan continued, voice heavy, “there are times when I think I’m running this rescue for all the wrong reasons and that I’m the worst possible thing for these dogs.”

Phil looked at him in confusion.

“Because I started it not _for them_. I did it and put all this work into it because I’m selfish. I _need_ them. I don’t know who I am or what the point of my life is if they don’t need me. People always say that the dogs need you to survive but I think it’s the opposite. Sometimes I feel like I’m far more dependent on them than they are on me.”

It was Phil’s turn to squeeze Dan’s hand and comfort him. He wished he could leech the sadness from him just by touch alone.

“Maybe there’s nothing wrong with that, though. It’s okay for you to need them _and_ for them to need you. As long as, in the end, you put them above yourself,” Phil stated, mostly to Dan but also to himself. “You’re the best thing that has ever happened to these dogs, Dan, you have to know that.”

Dan offered Phil a subdued smile. “I’m happy I don’t have to do this alone anymore.”

“We’ll deal with this together.” All Phil could offer was a brief upturn of one side of his mouth. He felt full of emotions -- a confusing mixture of sadness and love bubbling within him. In that moment Phil knew he was looking at his best friend and that the heartbreak he was feeling now over the loss of Oliver would be multiplied tenfold if it were Dan leaving his side.

“If you want, you could stay the night? You know Oliver would be happy to get a full night of you as his pillow.”

Phil’s answer was simple.

They took the dogs out and got them ready for bed. On a couch far too small for two grown men and a herd of dogs, including the giant Oliver, the group got comfortable under their blankets. Oliver was on top of Phil’s legs and Dan’s arm rested only a few inches away from Phil’s. Bella was pressed between them, and an array of dogs surrounded them on all sides.

Phil felt much more content in this moment with the idea of Oliver potentially leaving the pack. He knew it was something to celebrate and maybe he could even talk the women into arranging some future playdates. Looking at Oliver’s sleeping face, his sadness was replaced by acceptance and pride. Oliver deserved a happy family and Phil had something to do with getting him there.

Dan reached over, patting Bella’s tummy until he made contact with Phil’s hand. He took it without comment and rubbed a thumb across his palm.

“Goodnight, Phil.”

“'Night, Dan.”

\---

For the second time, Phil woke up to Dan staring at him.

The curtains exposed the morning light. Phil was uncomfortably warm but still wasn’t ready to move. A different set of dogs surrounded their feet; it appeared as though they had taken turns throughout the night.

“Morning,” Dan said in a gruff voice. Phil reached over for his glasses and took in the sight before him.

Dan looked half asleep still. His curly hair was a brown tuft on top of his head, his cheeks were warmed, and his smile was deep.

Phil was sure that Dan’s view of him was not even half as adorable.

Phil put his head back on the pillow. Dan was entirely too much to handle this early. He kept his head turned toward him, however, and felt that this habit was out of his control, like two magnets being pulled together by an invisible, undeniable force.

They stared at each other silently, content in each other’s space.

Their moment was interrupted, however, when the blanket under Phil’s arm wriggled violently, startling him in his half-conscious state. The lump squirmed until a head popped free, revealing Merry the dachshund, who immediately ran away from the pair and disappeared around the corner of the hallway.

Dan laughed heartily at the expression on Phil’s face.

“Sharing a bed with a herd of dogs can take some getting used to."

“I could get used to it,” Phil said, far too earnestly.

Dan rolled onto his back, turning away from Phil.

“The interview with Oliver’s potential adopters is in the afternoon today,” Dan said to the ceiling.

“How does it normally work?”

“They fill out an application. I look it over before meeting with them. Then I ask them a load of questions, about their income, home environment -- basically to see what kind of people they are. If I could make a home visit to everyone I would but because they live farther away, I’m going to have to just use the interview to judge them.” A pause. “I’m, uh, a bit _aggressive_. I try to tone it down but…”

He looked at Phil and Phil feigned surprise. “You? Aggressive? No way.”

“Shut up,” Dan said affectionately. “I think I scare people off a lot.”

“Those kids at the adoption event are proof of that.”

Dan squinted at Phil in mock malice.

“That’s why I’m here, remember. I’m the face of the rescue and you’re… the muscle.”

Dan shouted indignantly and threw a pillow in the direction of Phil. He did so without any strength as to avoid accidentally hurting a dog, of course.

Phil laughed and rolled out of the way. Their yelling made the dogs perk their ears, no longer pretending to snooze. The dogs woke up almost all in unison, excited and ready for their breakfast. Phil continued laughing as dogs climbed on top of him with their tails whipping, and watched as Oliver attempted to bite the pillows out of Dan’s hands to stop his attack on Phil.

\---

At two o’clock, two women knocked on the front door. Dan greeted them while Phil stood back. Oliver was waiting in the showroom while the rest of the dogs were in the yard or in their kennels.

Before Dan had opened the door, he had asked Phil gently: “If this works out, is it okay if I tell them today?” Phil knew Dan didn’t need to ask him that and it really didn’t matter if he was okay with it or not, but Phil appreciated the gesture altogether. He nodded silently and lifted his chin, ready.

The women seemed to have kind faces and shook Dan’s hand eagerly when he introduced himself. They recognized Phil immediately from the videos and addressed him by name. Phil tried his best to return their smiles.

Dan shot him an unreadable look. Phil tried to swallow his feelings or at least hide them. He didn’t want to let Oliver or Dan down.

Dan asked the women to sit as he took the application and went into his office wordlessly. Phil hoped it wasn’t a show of annoyance and took it as a chance to gather himself.

A few minutes of awkward silence later, Dan emerged and nodded encouragingly at Phil. They led the women to the showroom and to Oliver.

Phil trailed behind the group sullenly.

As they walked in, Oliver responded in his usual fervor, running over to them and licking eagerly at their hands. He gave Phil a passing swipe of a kiss before returning to the women. Phil tried to take comfort in the fact that Oliver hadn’t forgotten him yet.

Dan and Phil let them interact without much interference. They wanted to see how they got along and how Oliver felt about them. Phil watched carefully, trying to observe every little interaction and graded how they were doing. They were _at least_ at a _C_.

Oliver seemed to love them instantly, of course, which Phil wasn’t surprised about at all. _Of course_ Oliver was on his best behavior.

“I thought I loved him before just from those videos,” the daughter said as she threw a ball for Oliver to catch in his slobbering mouth. “But I love him so much now, I think my heart could burst!” A wide smile was on her face as Oliver ran back, his paws slid on the floor, nails failing to stop himself in time, as he crashed into her body.

Phil wanted so badly to find a fault. To demand proof that they deserved Oliver in some way and that they would never hurt him. But it was undeniable that Oliver accepted them and that they interacted with him gently. They had experience with rescue dogs before, Dan had shared for Phil’s benefit. The mother even had experience volunteering at a shelter. He hated himself for the standoffish stance he took in the corner of the room. He knew he was being ridiculous. With a sigh, he moved closer to the group.

“He has a way of doing that to a person.”

She smiled kindly in his direction. Phil missed the affectionate look Dan shot him in response.

They finished up the interview and Phil had a numb kind of acceptance to how he assumed it was going to turn out. Everything about them seemed great in person and he knew Dan had liked their application. It seemed inevitable that Oliver was going to leave him and Phil tried his best to focus on the positives.

Dan led the mother and daughter to the door, shaking their hands once more. Phil hung back.

“Thanks so much for coming down here. I think you two would be a great match for Oliver.”

The mother gripped the daughter by the arm and let out a big breath. “Oh, I’ve been waiting to hear that for so long!”

Dan laughed and started to talk about the cost of the adoption.

Without Phil’s involvement, they worked out that they would come back the next day to pick him up and pay for his adoption fee. They shook hands once again and not before long, it was just Dan and Phil again, standing in the entrance way.

Phil stared blankly at the door for a moment before looking at Dan. He nodded. “They were great. Oliver will be happy,” he gave a small smile. Dan looked on at him, brows knitted in concern. “Thanks for letting me meet them. I’m sorry if I didn’t do my job right. I--”

A pained sound escaped Dan’s mouth as he surged forward, jumping onto Phil and pushing their mouths together. He barely made the target and the kiss was far too brief for Phil to even respond.

Dan ripped himself away, eyes in horror, mouth open in a small ‘o.’ “Shit, I’m sorry! I shouldn’t of--God--I’m _sorry,_ " he rambled.  "I shouldn’t have done that. You’re _you_ and you’re upset and I’m your boss. _Shit_. This is so unethical. Did I just take advantage of you? I’m so sorry, Phil, just forget--”

It was Phil’s turn to cut Dan off with a kiss. This one was far less sloppy. Their mouths were firm, much more sure of themselves this time. Dan lifted his hand to hold Phil’s face in place. When they separated, Dan’s hands remained. He looked stunned and relieved.

Phil couldn’t believe how effortless it seemed to cross the line from platonic to romantic. His chest felt full of adoration for the man before him. He thought his face might split from the intensity of his smile.

“I’ve wanted to do that for a while now,” Phil admitted. Dan looked away as his cheeks dimpled and bit his lip to hide his matching grin.

“I think you working here has been the best thing that has ever happened to me,” Dan responded. He looked embarrassed by his own confession but Phil kissed the shyness away.

“Are you okay with Oliver getting adopted?” Dan asked, carefully.

Phil took a moment and answered truthfully. “Yes. He’s going home. He doesn’t need us anymore. That’s a good thing.”

“You’re the best thing that has ever happened to Oliver, you know. I wasn’t able to do that for him.”

Phil kissed him again. Now that he could, he never wanted to stop.

“Let’s get back to our dogs.”


	6. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel's Spaniels hosts another adoption event.

After Oliver’s adoption, Dan and Phil fell into an easy rhythm. Phil spent every day at the rescue, sometimes just to work and sit with the dogs while Dan handled the business side of it. Phil could be found on Dan’s couch more nights than his own bed. The dogs accepted Phil’s fixed presence with ease; it felt like the missing piece finally slotted itself into a long unfinished puzzle. Phil assumed the position of the ‘people person’ at the rescue and Dan gratefully interacted mostly with the canine and paper aspects of it.

It was often left unsaid but still observed by both that having each other in their lives brought a sense of mutual comfort and love that they were unfamiliar with up until that point.

Six months after Phil started, they hosted a second adoption event. It was in the same park, with the same signs, and the same flyers in the cafe. Everything about it was the same -- except for Phil and the increased turnout rate of the dogs (something both of them had grown quite proud of).

“Mummy! Mummy!” A kid came barreling into the tent, arms outstretched, and ran to one of the cages. Dan instinctively jumped to move toward the child and Phil immediately blocked his way. Dan muttered under his breath and abruptly turned away, returning to organizing the stack of applications; his stiff shoulders and a heavy sigh giving away his feigned show of nonchalance.

“Hello there,” Phil said brightly, keeping a careful eye on the child. “Welcome to the event, my name is Phil, can I help you?” The child stopped and stared at Phil. He looked at Phil with big, shining eyes, face blank, before turning and running to his mother’s side, hiding behind her thigh.

Phil ignored the muffled laugh that undoubtedly came from Dan. Phil couldn’t help it if this child was _prone_ to getting scared… at least Phil didn’t yell at him like Dan would’ve done.

“Just looking, thank you,” the mother answered politely. The child kept to her side after that and Phil let them wander in peace.

He returned to Dan and who gave him a teasing look that said far too much. “Shut it,” Phil warned. Dan laughed loudly.

Not before long, the mother returned, holding the boy’s hand.

“Could we get an application please? We met the sweetest dog, Penelope.” The boy nodded eagerly and the women smiled kindly.

Phil grabbed an application from the stand but as he moved to hand it to her, Dan snatched it and held it firmly against his chest.

“Penelope isn’t up for adoption, I’m terribly sorry.”

Phil looked at Dan is confusion.

“Oh, but, her cage says that she’s available,” the woman pushed. The child pouted heavily. Phil still wasn’t sure what was happening so he gaped at Dan silently, letting him see this out.

“She was adopted already today. So sorry,” Dan sounded anything but. “I’ll go take that down right now!” Without another word, Dan left, marching straight to Penelope, who wagged her tail for him as always.

“Sorry,” Phil repeated, trying to make up for all of Dan’s lacking social skills. The mother glared suspiciously at him, ready to snap if he wasn’t sincere enough. “Please do look at any other dog. I promise _those_ signs are accurate. I can show you to some that are like her, if you'd like? Please follow me...” She seemed appeased and even ended up leaving an application for Buddy. She ignored Dan haughtily as she left; Dan did not seem to care in the slightest.

“What the hell was that?” Phil hissed at Dan.

Dan avoided his glare and put on an unconcerned air, chin raised. “I decided Penny wasn’t up for adoption,” he said cooly.

Phil sighed. “Dan, we went through this with Oliver, didn’t we? You can’t just let her live in the rescue forever.”

“Yes, I can,” Dan pushed stubbornly. “I decided I’m adopting her. She’s going to live with me and be the unofficial mascot of _Daniel’s Spaniels_. She’s unofficially, partially yours... if you’re willing.” He shot a glance to gauge Phil’s reaction.

Phil, eloquently, looked like a fish. “Excuse me?”

Dan rolled his eyes, face deadly serious. “Phil,” he dropped to one knee. His hand scrambled to pull an application off the table to follow through with what was a very stupidly endearing joke. “Will you be Penny’s co-parent?” Someone gasped in the background causing Phil to blush.

Phil snatched the application out of his hand and busied himself with putting it back on the stack.

“Sorry,” Dan laughed, unperturbed, and rested his chin on Phil’s shoulder. A pause. “I mean it though…”

Phil pulled away so he could look at Dan, his face sincere. Phil’s heart gave one big thump in his chest. “Of course, Dan.”

Happily, they both leaned against the table and surveyed the tent, shoulder to shoulder. Both of their chests swelled with pride and relief -- Dan wasn’t a complete failure for once and Phil found where and with whom he belonged. Neither felt as though the other could possibly understand how strongly they felt -- both were wrong, however, as their appreciation and love was easily matched within each other’s hearts.

“You almost made that boy cry,” Dan snickered.

“Oh, shut up.”

“It’s not as easy as you think, huh?”

“Yeah, dogs are much easier.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it's done! I'm very proud of finishing this and actually posting my writing for once :)

**Author's Note:**

> I have a tumblr btw! @northerndownpovr feel free to come talk to me about dnp or send me pics of dogs!
> 
> please check out this [ beautiful fanart by habna @starrscribbles and tell her how amazing it is!!](https://starrscribbles.tumblr.com/post/169939718510/running-a-dog-rescue-is-hard-sometimes-youve)


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